SailorStar9: Nya? Chapter 9 goes up. This is Chapter 10 and only one review. No one else is reading this fic! *Sob, sob, wails*
Tailmon (from 'Digital Light of Hope' and her current muse): Great, now you non-reviewing readers made her cry. Leave your comments in your review, or else... (Warp-Digivolves into Magnadramon
and fires a stream of 'Dragon Fire ' at the non-reviewing readers)
Disclaimers: I own nothing.
Chapter 10: Tantei Gakuen Q: Episode Ten
Time passes, in Ryu's house...
Ryu was mediating in the library when a memory came to him.
Flashback
"Father?" a seven-year-old Ryu inquired. "Where are you?" he entered a room. "Father? Father? Father? Father?" the camera shifted to Ryu's father hanging on the ceiling.
At that, Ryu opened his eyes as the memory continued.
Flashback
"Father!" the young Ryu tried to shake his father awake. "Father! Father! Father! Father! Father..."
Getting up, Ryu walked over to the bookshelf and took out a file. Flipping it open, he revealed four photos.
"So, it's time then." Ami voiced knowingly, hugging him from behind and resting her head on his shoulder, the Amakusa-emblemed 'Bond Ring' on her ring finger, the Guardian having moved into his place upon Ryu's insistence.
"Yeah." Ryu replied, looking at the girl on his shoulder, leaning into his beloved's embrace, welcoming her gentle, comforting touch hungrily. Her mere presence had soothed him, pulling the brooding teen from the darkness that threatened to overwhelm him.
"It'll be alright." Ami assured him, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "You'll see."
"Thank you." Ryu gave her a grateful smile, returning the kiss with one of his own on the lips.
"Should I..." Ami trailed, resting her head on his chest after they broke off.
"No." Ryu assured. "I'll be fine."
"You can't do this alone." Ami reminded. "Remember, I too, am part of this. It is time we concluded this chapter of our past, together."
"Together." Ryu nodded in agreement, before claiming another kiss from his 'Bonded'.
The next day...
"Ryu!" Kyu called out, seeing the familiar back. "Are you going somewhere?"
"There's something I want to investigate by myself." Ryu replied.
"Could it be..." Kyu trailed. "Something that involves Pluto?"
"Once I get back, I'll tell you everything." Ryu promised. "So, don't worry."
"Last night," Kyu started. "I had a weird dream."
"Dream?" Ryu echoed.
"A dream where a young Ryu is crying." Kyu replied.
"What in the world is that..." Ryu remarked, the memory of finding his father's body still in his mind.
"Hey, Ryu." Kyu started. "There's one thing I'd like you to promise me."
"What is it?" Ryu asked.
"No matter what happens, I'll believe in you." Kyu commented. "That's why at the very least, don't ever lie."
"Alright." Ryu answered. "I'll never lie. I promise." and that, he went on his way.
In the Mission Room...
"Good morning." Kyu greeted the group gathered.
"Do you know where Amakusa and Mizuno are?" Nanami-sensei inquired.
"Ah, earlier, I saw Ryu near the train station." Kyu replied. "He has a traveling bag and he said there's something he wants to investigate. I'm assuming Ami went with him. Did something happen to them?"
"Dan-sensei." Nanami-sensei prodded.
"Members of Q Class." Dan-sensei started. "There's something I'd like you to see. This is a hotel called Seiryuukan Hotel designed by a famous architect. There are 4 Seiryuukan Hotels in the Kantou Suburbs. Now, the owners of each of those hotels have gathered in order to hold a 'Nanakaiki' for the architect, who was the previous owner. A strange threat letter is being sent persistently to these people."
"'Whoever provokes the imperial wrath of the dragon will be punishable by death.'" Kyu recited.
"About this last crest looking mark..." Megu trailed.
"It appears in the Chinese legends." Dan-sensei replied. "Gaishi, a child dragon. Known as a dragon that likes to kill."
"Likes to kill?" Kinta echoed.
"And this is the invitation to the 'Nanakaiki'." Dan-sensei added. "Look at the name of the organizer of the 'Nanakaiki'."
"The organizer is Ryu!" Kyu gasped.
"The name of the architect who designed the Seiryuukan is Amakusa Takumi." Dan-sensei continued. "Amakusa-kun's father. Because Amakusa-kun is involved in this, and Mizuno, being his betrothed, is also indirectly implicated, I've decided that it's wise for you to investigate this. Find the sender of this threat and its aim."
"Q Class, march out." Nanami-sensei gave the order.
"Yes sir!" the four teens chorused.
"I have a favor to ask of you." Dan-sensei held Kyu back
"What might that be?" Kyu inquired.
"I'd like you to believe in Amakusa-kun until the very, very end." Dan-sensei requested.
"Eh?" Kyu blinked.
"The only ones who can do that, besides Mizuno, Kyu-kun, is you." Dan-sensei added. "If one is convinced that someone believes in him, and there's someone he can believe in, a person will not become too twisted. If there was someone who believed in him till the end, Kouko Hoshihiko might not have become King Hades."
"Eh?" Kyu gasped. "Dan-sensei, you know King Hades?"
"He was once my best friend." Dan-sensei replied.
In front of the Seiryuukan Hotel gate...
Ryu had arrived at his destination.
"For him to really appear..." Cerberus mused, driving a car into the driveway. "As expected of Hades-sama."
"This is only the beginning." Yurie added, as Ami met up with her partner, the couple entering the hotel together. "Ryu-sama will try to cut through his fate with his own hands. Without knowing how foolish and futile it is. Everything is moving according to Hades-sama's plan. You should watch it too." she told Cerberus. "The moment the fate of a murderer sleeping inside Ryu-sama wakes up."
In the main hall...
"Seems that we're the only ones who were called out after all." Udo remarked.
"I've completely forgotten about those two kids." Benishiro admitted.
"You couldn't possibly forget." Tsubaki reminded. "Why make such an insignificant lie at a time like this?"
"But," Udo started. "We haven't heard from them in 7 years. So why now?"
"Probably, he might have realized that..." Nanamura stepped into the room. "You've received this threat too, right?" she presented the letter to the reminding three.
"About the fact that we killed his father, he found out so he's going to take revenge?" Benishiro surmised. "And that because we threatened the girl's mother to force the mother to take the daughter and leave?"
"But that was supposed to be a secret among the four of us." Tsubaki reminded.
"What's wrong, Udo-san?" Nanamura inquired, pulling Udo's hand to touch her thigh. "Are you curious about my leg? Still conscientiously following the words of the man you've killed?" she taunted when Udo walked off to pour himself a glass of champagne. "Unexpectedly, you're a coward, Udo-san?"
"A flashy outfit as usual." Tsubaki remarked. "It must be hard for a woman who sells her body."
"Yes." Nanamura replied. "Unlike someone who threw away her womanhood."
"What?" Tsubaki demanded.
"You two..." Benishiro chided. "Let's stop fighting at a time like this. It's over! Ow!" he winced when his wife gripped his wrist.
"Who do you think you're married to?" Tsubaki growled.
"Eh?" Benishiro chuckled.
"Who is it?" Udo asked, spotting someone at the door.
"Amakusa Ryu-sama and Mizuno Ami-sama have arrived." Kamiya reported.
In the waiting hall...
"Ryu-sama, Ami-sama!" Udo greeted the young couple.
"Hey, everyone." Ryu got up from his seat.
"It's been awhile." Ami added.
"You've grown well." Benishiro remarked.
"I couldn't even recognize you two." Nanamura agreed. "What a compatible couple you make."
"How nostalgic, Ryu-sama, Ami-sama." Tsubaki commented.
"I'm sorry for suddenly calling you." Ryu stated. "I'd like everyone who inherited a part of my father's property to participate in the 'Nanakaiki'."
"Naturally, of course." Udo agreed.
"I'd like to find out about my father." Ryu added. With a bow to answer to the fake smiles presented, Ryu led Ami off. "I'm excited about what I'll learn." he added, and the two retiring back to their room. Benishiro tightened his grip on his walking stick as Nanamura placed her hands on his, soothing him.
"That was so fake." Ami muttered. "Now, the hard part begins." she noted.
"Yeah." Ryu agreed.
Later...
"Is that so?" Udo inquired when the rest of Q Class arrived at the hotel. "Everyone is Ryu-sama and Ami-sama's..."
"Um," Megu stated. "Where's Ryu and Ami?"
"Resting in their shared room." Udo replied.
"Regarding the threat," Kyu started. "Do you have any idea?"
"Not really." Udo replied. "That's why we requested for an investigation."
"Ah..." Kyu nodded.
"Manager." Kamiya reported. "It's bad, the scroll painting in the hall has..."
Udo hurried off the the hall with the rest of Q Class in tow.
In the main hall...
"Everyone." Ryu blinked as the group entered.
"Why are you here?" Ami asked, having changed into a light blue toga dress.
"The owners of the Seiryuukan Hotel received threat letters." Kyu replied. "So we've come to investigate that."
"Threat letter?" Ryu echoed.
"It's this one." Udo showed the couple his letter.
"Ryu." Megu started. "I heard you're doing your father's 'Nanakaiki' here, right?"
"Sorry for not saying anything." Ryu apologized. "Because it was a personal thing, and it wasn't something fun."
"We're curious about that threat letter." Megu remarked.
"What a rare scroll painting." Kinta noted. "The kimono is made of bird feathers.
"A scroll painting in an image of a bird." Ami recalled. "A very expensive art piece in Takumi-ouji-sama's collection if I remember correctly."
"The feathers have been plucked off." Kinta stated.
"Kinta." Ryu warned, stopping Kinta from touching one of the feathers on the ground. "Don't touch it."
"Eh?" Kinta blinked.
"This is the legendary poisonous bird Chin's feather." Ami supplied. "It is said that there's enough poison in one feather to kill someone."
"Are you serious?" Kinta echoed.
"To the point that it was encased in glass." Ryu added. "Because there's a possibility that there's poison."
"Who in the world took it?" Udo demanded.
"Using the security camera in the hall, we should know who entered this room." Ryu suggested. "Please investigate it later."
"I understand." Udo nodded.
"Udo-san," Megu voiced. "What's that?" she looked over at the champagne glass pyramid.
"Ah," Udo noted. "The will of the late father of Ryu-sama. A blockade so that it won't open."
"For what reason?" Kazuma inquired.
"'This hall's two doors, that frog door and this snail door.'" Ami recited from memory. "'If you open both at the same time, you'll provoke the imperial wrath of the dragon.'"
"Which is why we're always blocking this frog door." Udo added.
'Provoke the imperial wrath of the dragon'?" Kyu echoed. "Ami, how did you know?"
"Curiosity killed the five-year-old." Ami shrugged.
"It's the same as the threat." Megu realized. "What does this mean?" the group turned to the couple.
"Well, we..." Ryu started. "Still have to prepare for tomorrow. So excuse us." he led Ami out of the main hall.
That night, in their shared room...
"A red moon; an ominous sign." Ami looked up at the night sky, now clad in a nightie. "Blood will be spilled tonight." she predicted, resting her head against her lover's chest.
In their shared room...
"It's no good." Kyu remarked. "I'm just getting Ryu and Ami's voice mail."
"They were acting strange." Kinta noted.
"Could Ryu be hiding something from us again?" Kazuma wondered.
"Oh, it's just you, Haruka." Kinta sighed, answering the call.
In the juice bar...
"What do you mean by that?" Haruka chided. "Don't you want to hear about Ryu's father?"
"Sorry, sorry." Kinta apologized. "Please tell me."
"Cause of death is suicide." Haruka replied.
In their shared room...
"Suicide?" Kinta echoed.
In the juice bar...
"Seem like he was a famous architect." Haruka added. "I got it from a weekly publication. From the shock of his wife's death, he hanged himself at home."
In their shared room...
"About Ryu and Ami, was there anything else?" Kinta asked.
In the juice bar...
"Nothing about that." Haruka replied. "Except that Ami and her mother just disappeared on the night the suicide occurred."
In their shared room...
"Okay, thank you." Kinta noted. "I'll contact you again if something happens."
"Home?" Kazuma echoed. "It's this Seiryuukan Hotel, right?"
"This is an abominable place for them both, huh?" Kinta mused.
"Ah!" Kyu blinked. "By the way, where's Megu?"
"She's hungry, so she went to make some midnight snack." Kazuma replied.
"Geez, that glutton." Kinta snorted. "What is she doing at a time like this?"
In the main hall...
"Like I'll let you out alive..." Udo downed another glass of alcohol. "With these hands, I'll end you life."
In the guest hall...
"This is perfect for a rainy season after all, yeah..." Megu returned to the room with a armful of cup noodles when she heard something in the main hall.
"Ouch, ouch, ouch." Tsubaki winced.
"It's quite swollen today." Benishiro noted as he massaged his wife's foot. "It's probably the shoes. It looked good on you, though."
"Anyway, that woman has an awful attitude." Tsubaki remarked. "She's still bitter about getting her leg injured because of Udo-san."
"Stop that way of talking." Benishiro chided. "Her dream of becoming an actress was crushed because of that. She's just being a little rebellious. Let's just watch over her."
"Stop it." Tsubaki warned. "Another obvious lie. Stop your lies. Besides," she added removing her leg from his lap. "I'm telling you, I'll never going divorce you. Like I'll let things go her way."
"Hey, wait." Benishiro called as his wife stumbled off, Megu hiding in the decorative phone box. "Wait a minute, honey!"
"A love triangle, huh?" Megu mused. "Must be hard to be an adult. I should be careful too."
Walking past the main hall, she peered into the room from the window and was stunned to see a strangled Udo before a stern-looking Ryu.
In the main hall...
"Hello." Ryu called the police on his cellphone. "This is Seiryuukan Hotel, the owner of the hotel has been killed."
In their shared room...
"Welcome back." Ami looked up from her paperback when her partner returned. "It has began, then." she remarked knowingly, noticing her lover's expression.
"Yeah." Ryu replied. "Looks like your premonition is proven right again."
"Looks like the roles been reversed." Ami joked as Ryu leaned into her comforting embrace.
"Tease." Ryu smirked, kissing her nose.
"And you love me for it." Ami returned his smirk with one of her own as the pair cuddled in bed.
"It's been an exhausting day." Ryu told his mentally exhausted love. "Get some sleep. We've lots to do tomorrow."
"Agreed." Ami nodded and the couple dozed off on each other's arms.
The next day, in the main hall...
"'Anyone who provokes the imperial wrath of the dragon will be punished by death.'" Moroboshi read the letter.
"A threat that was sent to the owners of the Seiryuukan Hotel." Kyu supplied.
"In short, this incident is an advance murder notice." Moroboshi surmised.
"Moroboshi-san." Nekoda came in. "The cause of death is strangulation. The estimated time of death is from 1 am until it was found at 2 am.."
"That champagne tower's been there all along?" Moroboshi inquired, looking at the glass pyramid.
"Yes." Ryu replied.
"It's impossible to enter by moving this." Nekoda concluded, testing the table.
"If so, the culprit could only have entered through that door." Moroboshi gestured to the snail door.
"Yes." Ami confirmed.
"Ah, there's a security camera at the hallway." Nekoda voiced. "If we look at the recorded tape, we can find out who went in and out."
"Alright, investigate that." Moroboshi gave the order as Megu gave the silent Ryu a side-glance, recalling what she had seen last night.
"Ok!" Nekoda went off.
"Why did it spill?" Kyu went over to the table.
"The culprit probably tried to move it, huh?" Moroboshi mused.
In the waiting hall...
"We'd like to report the result of the investigation of the security camera." Moroboshi told the gathered group. "Only two people entered that room. One of them is the victim, Udo-san, and the other one, Amakusa-kun, is you."
"Ryu-sama killed Udo-san." Tsubaki gasped.
"Wait a minute." Ryu protested. "I didn't do it."
"I believe him." Ami agreed, tightening her hold on her 'Bonded'. "This has to be a mistake."
"Ryu can't possibly be the culprit." Kyu concurred.
"Amakusa-kun, why did you go to the hall at that time?" Moroboshi inquired.
"Last night, this memo was slipped under the gap of my door." Ryu replied, showing the detectives the note.
"'I'd like to talk about your father." Moroboshi read. "'I'll be waiting at the hallway at 2 am. Udo. Word processor, huh? There's no proof that Udo-san wrote this."
"That's right." Nekoda agreed.
"There's no hidden door in that room." Moroboshi added. "One can only enter by the snail door. If that's the case, the only one who can kill Udo-san is you, Amakusa-kun."
"But the motive?" Ami pressed.
"What's Ryu's motive?" Kyu insisted.
"Maybe he's thinking that we shared the Amakusa family fortune." Nanamura stated.
"What do you mean by that?" Moroboshi inquired.
"In obedience to Ryu-sama's father's will, we legally inherited this Seiryuukan Hotel." Nanamura replied. "Maybe Ryu-sama couldn't tolerate that thought."
"It's enough of a motive." Nekoda agreed.
"Amakusa Ryu-kun." the two officers approached the couple. "Will you come with us to the headquarters? We would like to talk with everyone else later. So please stay in this hotel. Well then." he led Ryu off.
"Ryu!" the rest of Q Class gaped and Ami took off after him with Kyu in tow.
"Ryu!" Ami called, causing the teen to turn and Ami threw herself into him. "It'll be alright." she assured, hanging an amulet porch around his neck. "Don't give up. If you have to hide, go to the tree house." she whispered into his ear.
"Do you remember yesterday's promise?" Kyu asked, once Ami released her arrested 'Bonded'.
In the police car...
"You can restart your life again." Moroboshi noted.
"I'll be bringing you some treats." Nekoda added.
"I'll rather die than go to prison." Ryu swore and swallowed a pill.
"Hey!" Nekoda gasped. "What did you swallow?"
"Could it be poison?" Moroboshi exclaimed. "Hey, wait, stop!" he told the driver. "Throw up, spit it out!" Nekoda pulled Ryu to the road. "Alright! Vomit, vomit for now. Ouch!" he winced when Ryu tossed him over his shoulder and fled into the forest.
"He got us!" Moroboshi cursed, finding the empty capsule tab in the back seat.
In the waiting hall...
"For Ryu to be a murderer..." Kazuma mused.
"There's got to be a mistake!" Ami insisted. "There should be a trick of some sort."
"Like..." Kyu prodded.
"That champagne tower in front of that frog door." Kazuma surmised. "Hey Kyu, what is it?"
"The champagne that spilled on the floor..." Kyu replied. "And the other is... I don't know..."
"What the heck?" Kazuma muttered. "Is that the only thing you know?"
"Then what other clue do we have?" Kyu retorted.
"Hey," Kinta cut in. "What's the point in fighting?"
"For now, I'll contact Nanami-sensei regarding Ryu." Ami concluded.
"Ami, how can you remain so calm?" Megu asked. "Isn't Ryu your..."
"'I choose to believe in the one I gave my heart to.'" Ami repeated her quote. "I know he didn't kill anyone. That's why, all the more I can't fall here." with that, she went off to make her call.
"I'll go with you." Kinta offered, taking off after the team leader.
"Kamiya-san." Kyu ran over to the receptionist when he noticed the camera.
"Yes?" Kamiya blinked.
"Did you find out who plucked the feathers from the scroll painting?" Kyu asked.
"There was nothing on the video." Kamiya replied.
"What do you mean by that?" Kyu inquired.
"Our security cameras are quite old." Kamiya answered. "So we have to change the tape every 24 hours. We have to stop the tape for 10 minutes in order to get the recorded video."
"Are you saying that the culprit used that 10 minute space?" Megu concluded.
"I can't think of anything aside from that." Kamiya agreed.
"Who knows about that?" Kyu asked.
"Most likely, Ryu-sama and Ami-sama know about it, too." Kamiya replied.
"I'd like to check out." Nanamura requested.
"Ok."Kamiya went back to the reception desk.
"But the officer said don't leave here." Kazuma pointed out.
"A hotel that had a murder is too creepy to stay in." Nanamura replied. "I've reserved a cottage nearby."
Outside...
"Nanamura-san!" Kyu called, taking off after Nanamura. "That looks heavy, I'll help you."
"Really?" Nanamura blinked. "Thanks you."
"This is quite a lot for a one night stay." Kyu noted, heaving the luggage into the boot.
"This much is natural for a woman." Nanamura pointed out. "What we wear in the afternoon is different from the evening."
"What's inside those 3 pots?" Kyu asked, noticing the thermal bottles.
"Rooibos tea, Pu-erh tea and Genpicha." Nanamura replied. "For the sake of beauty, I never fail to drink them."
"That's why you're pretty." Kyu nodded.
"Thank you." Nanamura remarked. "I'm happy even though you're only flattering me."
"It's not flattery." Kyu corrected.
"You have," Nanamura flirted. "A cute face. Come over." she handed him a card that stated the address of her cottage.
"Madara Country Cottage." Kyu looked at the card.
"What's wrong?" Megu asked as she and Kazuma ran out.
"Huh?" Kyu blinked. "Ah, nothing."
"Nanamura-san's leg is like that because of the late Udo-san." Megu stated.
"Eh?" the two boys echoed.
"Last night, I accidentally overheard Benishiro-san saying that." Megu replied. "She had to give up her dream of becoming an actress because of that."
"Bad news!" Kinta reported. "Ryu escaped while he was being conveyed."
"Eh?" the group gasped.
"The police is currently searching for him in the forest." Ami added. "That idiot, what was he thinking?"
"What did Nanami-sensei say?" Megu asked.
"Cooperate with the police and run after Ryu." Ami hissed, tightening her fist.
"He wants us to catch Ryu?" Kyu echoed in disbelief.
"I don't think Ryu's the culprit too." Kinta commented. "But then, why did he run away? If he really didn't do anything, then face them without shame. Hey, Kyu!" he stopped the teen in his tracks. "Where are you going?"
"Let's prove Ryu's innocence." Kyu proposed.
With a nod of agreement, the rest of Q Class took off.
"As expected of Q Class." Yurie mused, the vehicle driving into the walkway. "They're acting according to your calculations. There's no need for you to meddle." she told Cerberus.
Meanwhile...
Ryu had arrived outside Nanamura's cottage, the rest of Q class arriving moments later, with Moroboshi and Nekoda in tow.
"Hey!" Moroboshi called as he and Nekoda stepped out of their vehicle. "Why are you here?"
"Why are you, Moroboshi-san?" Kyu inquired.
"Well, 30 minutes ago, Nanamura Miki reported to the police, she said she saw Amakusa Ryu at a coffee shop. She brought some coffee beans that were sold by weight, after placing it in a bag, she went around the store, and then Amakusa peeked into the bag she brought."
"We were thinking of getting more information about that." Nekoda added.
"Let's go." Moroboshi told his subordinate.
"Ok." Nekoda nodded and the two entered the house, followed by the rest of Q Class.
"Nanamura-san!" Moroboshi rang the doorbell. "Excuse us! This is the police. Nanamura-san." he called, after finding the door was unlocked. "Nanamura-san." the group entered the kitchen. "Nanamura-san." the group then went up to the second floor. "This is the police. Nanamura-san, this is the pol..." he stopped in mid-sentence when he found Nanamura strangled on the bed.
"She's dead." Nekoda reported, after feeling for a pulse.
"Ryu!" Ami called, looking downstairs and seeing her 'Bonded' about to exit the house.
"Hey!" Kinta hollered and took off after the runaway teen. "Ryu!" he leapt off the pavilion, only to find Ryu was nowhere to be seen.
"This is urgent!" Nekoda barked.
"Amakusa Ryu murdered someone again and has escaped." Moroboshi informed into his walkie-talkie.
In the Mission Room...
"There are now 2 victims." Nanami-sensei reported, putting down the phone. "The situation is becoming more and more disadvantageous for Amakusa."
"It's not like it's certain that he's the culprit." Dan-sensei pointed out.
"But," Nanami-sensei protested. "The actions of Amakusa are too abnormal. Could he have been... brainwashed by Pluto? Dan-sensei, why are you going that far in believing Amakusa Ryu? What in the world happened with King Hades and you?"
"In the past, I betrayed Hoshihiko." Dan-sensei replied. "Kouko Hoshihiko is King Hades' real name. It's a story in the past, we were only 16. We were rivals and the best of friends. And one day, his mother's identity was revealed. His mother was the ingenious criminal, Kouko Yurika."
"Kouko Yurika?" Nanami-sensei echoed in shock.
"That's right." Dan-sensei nodded. "After that, he was brutally harassed at school. I earnestly tried to protect him. At that time, a certain incident happened. A student who kept harassing him died in a bombing incident at school."
"Could it have been..." Nanami-sensei gasped.
"I..." Dan-sensei trailed. "Doubted him. Back then, if I could have believed him until the end, he might not have gone down the wrong path. I abandoned Hoshihiko, my best friend."
In Nanamura's cottage...
"I understand that you want to believe in your friend." Moroboshi told the youngsters. "But this time, the odds are bad."
"Moroboshi-san." Kyu started. "Were you able to confirm Nanamura Miki's tip?"
"Yeah." Moroboshi nodded. "Nanamura Miki really did go to the store and brought coffee beans, according to the store clerk."
"Then, where are the coffee beans?" Ami inquired. "I can't find it even if I looked around."
"That doesn't matter." Moroboshi objected. "Anyway, forensics will come soon. Go back to the hotel. We"'ll help out in the investigation and go mountain hunting."
"Ok." Nekoda nodded and the two detectives went off.
"With this, the evidence against Ryu is getting intense." Kazuma voiced.
"I refuse to believe this!" Ami insisted hotly. "This has to be a trap!"
"Huh?" Kyu blinked, noticing the 3 thermal pots in the kitchen.
"What's wrong, Kyu?" Megu asked.
"Nanamura-san had too much baggage for one night." Kyu remarked. "And I thought it was weird for her to carry 3 stainless pots. So I asked what was inside. And she said,"
Flashback
"Rooibos tea, Pu-erh tea and Genpicha." Nanamura replied.
"Well, it's it natural for a woman to use for beauty purposes?" Megu wondered.
"All her baggage were left unopened." Kyu stated. "Except for these stainless pots that were washed already. Isn't that unnatural?"
"Maybe she didn't want the smell to stay?" Kinta suggested.
"Then, smell it." Ami handed a bottle to Kinta after she sniffed it.
"There's no smell at all." Kinta remarked, the others having taking a sniff.
"That's weird." Megu agreed. "When you put tea in this kind of pot, it's hard to take the odor out even if you wash it."
"So that means," Kazuma mused.
"Most likely, what's inside those pots were something odorless." Kyu surmised.
"But why would Nanamura-san lie about that?" Kazuma questioned.
"I don't know yet." Kyu admitted. "But, the key to solving this case;'s mystery, may be in that answer."
"There's one more person who had a grudge against Nanamura-san." Megu suddenly said.
At the reception of the Seiryuukan Hotel...
"Benishiro Tsubaki-sama came back awhile ago, but she left again." Kamiya answered.
"Thank you very much." Kyu replied.
"No problem." Kamiya noted.
"She was really mad at the relationship between her husband Benishiro-san and Nanamura-san." Megu stated after Kamiya was out of earshot. "It's enough motive for a murder."
"Alright." Kazuma stated, having locked onto Tsubaki on his laptop. "I was able to catch Benishiro Tsubaki's cellphone signal via GPS."
"Where is she right now?" Kinta asked.
"She's moving up a pathway near the hotel." Kazuma replied.
"Alright, let's go around that area." Ami gave the instruction.
"Yeah." Kyu nodded the the group headed out.
In the forest...
Ryu was looking over the strangled corpse of Tsubaki. Hearing footsteps drawing near, he left the scene. Yurie then walked towards the corpse, planting a tape recorder into Tsubaki's handbag.
"Wait a minute." Kazuma voiced, stopping the group. "It should be around this area." he reconsulted his laptop.
"Look at that!" Ami pointed to the corpse in the clearing.
"Tsubaki-san..." Kyu gasped and Kinta took out the tape recorder and played the record.
"He might have realized that..." Nanamura's voice sounded. "You've received this threat too, right?"
"About the fact that we killed his father, he found out so he's going to take revenge?" Benishiro's voice was next. "And that because we threatened the girl's mother to force the mother to take the daughter and leave?"
"But that was supposed to be a secret among the four of us." Tsubaki was next.
"Those four..." Ami gasped in realization. "Killed Takumi-ouji-sama and forced me and mother to leave?"
"If that's so, this series of murders will look like Ryu's revenge." Kazuma concluded.
"It's true." Kinta agreed. "There's no other motive that's as disadvantageous as this."
"At this rate," Megu added. "They'll think Ryu really is the culprit."
"We have to find a clue." Ami insisted.
"If the motive for the serial murder is related to Ryu's father's death, I'm sure Benishiro-san's life will be targeted." Kinta surmised.
"Wait, Benishiro-san had enough motive to kill Tsubaki-san, too." Megu interjected.
"Anyway, let's see Benishiro." Kinta suggested.
In his room in the Seiryuukan Hotel...
"Benishiro-san?" Kyu asked outside the door when Benishiro was about to cut the coffee bag open. "Are you there? Benishiro-san!"
"Everyone's here." Benishiro opened the door. "What's wrong?"
"We need to talk to you about something important." Kyu requested.
"Eh?" Benishiro echoed.
"The truth is..." Kyu started.
"Wait a minute." Benishiro cut him off. "Come in." he let the teens into his room. "Let's drink coffee and calm down."
"Excuse us." Kyu remarked, the group entering.
"Even more so if it's an important matter." Benishiro added, cutting open the coffee bag.
"Even if you drink coffee, I don't think you'll be able to calm down." Kazuma remarked as Benishiro poured the coffee beans into the coffee maker and prepared the beverage.
"Eh?" Benishiro echoed.
"Your wife, Tsubaki-san's body was found awhile ago." Kyu stated.
"Tsubaki is...?" Benishiro gasped.
"The cause of death is most likely strangulation." Ami added.
"No way!" Benishiro remarked. "Tsubaki!" he sank to his knees. "Someone as kind and angelic like her has... could it be... Ryu-sama has once again..."
"We can't say anything about it yet." Ami quickly intervened. "It's just that we found something interesting in your wife's bag."
Kinta took out the recorder and played the record.
"I wonder why..." Benishiro started, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "I don't remember at all."
"Was it simply an insurance to protect herself?" Kinta pressed. "Or..."
"Was it to shake everyone else?" Ami finished.
"Whichever it is, with this, the crime you've committed, will be made public." Kinta remarked as Benishiro drank the beverage.
"I see." Benishiro noted. "But that's..." he laughed. "Just a joke. No, no." he corrected. "That kind of joke happens, right?"
"I don't think so." Megu commented.
"Even if it is a joke, how would you explain the fact that everyone except you, is dead?" Kinta pressed.
"That is..." Benishiro remarked. "I'm sorry." he added, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. "I'm not feeling too well. Excuse me while I go to the toilet."
"He's obviously feigning innocence." Megu remarked. "He's lying for sure."
"When he heard that Tsubaki-san died, and he became sad, that's definitely a lie." Kyu agreed.
"To say it was a joke, what a cruel lie." Kinta added.
"If so..." Kazuma trailed when a 'thump' was heard in the washroom and the group hurried over.
"Benishiro-san!" Kinta called. "Please open up! Benishiro-san!"
"You can go outside from a window in this toilet." Kazuma supplied.
"Damn!" Kinta cursed and the boys headed out.
Ami and Megu stopped in their tracks and Megu opened the washroom door as Benishiro stumbled out.
Megu was pinned onto the bed by Benishiro's corpse and she screamed. "Kinta, help me!"
"Get away, you liar." Kinta pulled Benishiro off Megu.
"Benishiro-san?" Kyu blinked when Benishiro's body shook and went limp on the sofa. "He's playing dead, right?"
"Oh no." Kinta corrected after he checked for a pulse. "He's dead."
"He wasn't lying when he said he wasn't feeling well." Kazuma noted.
"Could it be..." Ami hurried over the the coffee bag. "Just as I thought." she remarked, seeing the feathers on top of the coffee beans.
"This is..." Kyu exclaimed.
In the Mission Room...
Dan-sensei vomited out blood and fainted on the ground.
In Benishiro's room in the Seiryuukan Hotel...
"Hey, where's Benishiro Kyousuke?" Moroboshi asked, entering the room. "With this," he added, after Nekoda felt for a pulse. "All the past personnel of the Amakusa Family have died."
"Moroboshi-san." Ami started. "There's a black feather in this coffee pack. It might be the poisoned feather that was stolen from the scroll painting at the Seiryuukan Hotel."
"Someone placed it in the coffee pack." Kazuma added.
"But he cut the seal right in front of us." Kinta pointed out.
"This is..." Moroboshi gasped. "Nekoda!"
"Yes?" Nekoda went over.
"What's the name of the store and the brand of the coffee that Nanamura Miki brought?" Moroboshi asked.
"Ah, ok." Nekoda checked his notes. " Umm, well... eh, the name of the store is Tanacafe. And the brand is Mokamatari."
"It's finally decided, huh?" Moroboshi concluded. "Unfortunately, the culprit is Amakusa Ryu after all. Take a look at this pack. At the store, it was sealed using thermal heat. And there's no traces of it being opened after that. In short, only three people could've placed the poison here. The store clerk who sealed this, Nanamura Miki and the one who looked inside the open bag left at the cart, according to Nanamura Miki's testimony, Amakusa Ryu. "
"The store clerk is out of the question." Nekoda surmised. "Nanamura Miki is already dead. If so, the only possible culprit is..."
"Amakusa Ryu, only." Moroboshi finished.
"Hello?" Nekoda took the call. "Eh? Really? Moroboshi-san, there's a report that Amakusa Ryu was seen around this vicinity."
"What?" Moroboshi gasped.
"The police is running after him in full force." Nekoda added.
In the forest...
Ryu was fleeing along a side road, a touch-light in hand to shine his way. Left with no choice, he took refuge behind a house, turning off the touch-light as the police and the hounds ran down the path. Taking a moment to catch his breath, he removed the amulet pouch from his neck and a dried grass-woven ring fell into his hand.
I understand, Ami. He nodded, recalling the promise he had sworn to her upon the ring when they were younger. Replacing the ring back into the pouch, he headed off for the tree house.
In their shared room in the Seiryuukan Hotel...
"It's no good!" Kyu whined. "I don't know. If I can just solve the champagne tower mystery."
"By the way, Megu." Kinta started. "When he found the first body, how did Ryu look?"
"How did he..." Megu trailed. "I have never seen such a scary Ryu. Of course, I believe in Ryu, too! But how can we prove Ryu's innocence?"
"Could it be..." Kyu muttered. "Ryu..."
In her shared room with Ryu..
With the Amakusa-emblemed 'Bond Ring' between her palms, Ami prayed.
SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.